Brief case construction



Feb. 4, 1964 1 LlF'roN BRIEF CASE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 25. 1960 United States Patent O Fice ,titii 3,129,252 maar casi; conisrnUcrioN 7 Claims. (Si. 15b-1.6)

The present invention relates to a brief case construction and it particularly relates to a orief case having ground support structures.

`it is among the objects of lthe present invention to provide a brief case construction in lwhich the base thereof will be stabilized and will not be subject to crushing or deformation against the floor, pavement or other structure surface, and which will also be stabilized against crushing, bending or bowing.

Another object is to provide a brief case construction in which although the high grade readily damaging leathers may be utilized therein, particularly subject to wear and abrasion, such may be protected against such wear and abrasion so that it could be against a support surface whether it be a floor or pavement.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that -tln's more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the `art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

in accomplishing the above objects, it has been found most satisfactory according to one embodiment to provide a foo-t construction which `will be mounted preferably on opposite sides of the base outside lower edges of the brief case construction and which will act to support and elevate the edges of said brief case construction above the ground and desirably out of Contact and not likely to become rubbed or ruied in respect to a door, pavement or other structure.

ln one form of the invention, the lower support elements are separately attached by teeth, rivets or screws to the bottom outside lower edges of the brief case construction.

Ihese elements desirably consist of parallel grasping plates which are clamped on each side of the lower edges, and they may have transversely extending curved floor or pavement contact members which may be bowed in both directions so as to elevate the lower edges from contact with the floor or pavement as the case may be.

ln the preferred form of the invention, the clips are formed of ltwo angle members or L-shaped members which are formed integrally from la single sheet of metal and have parallel upwardly extending clamping elements spaced from each other and contacting right angular leg members.

These leg members may be bowed so as to latch under one another or to latch under other edges of the brief case partition walls.

The bottom portion of the longer leg at the spaces between the upright ange portion should be bowed so that it will Contact the floor or pavement midway between its side edges and so that the side edges will contact the lower edge of the `wall of the brief case substantially the bottom of the 4bowed structure.

Alternatively, the bottom of the support construction may have a projection to elevate the lower edges of the brief case above fthe floor structure.

The feet are desirably positioned in pairs along each lower edge, of the brief case structure at the sides thereof and desirably their ridges permit latching of the inside support elements with the outside support elements,

lf desired, however, the inturned shaped support members or angle support n embers may be provided solidly on the outside walls with their tlmges extending inwardly to latch on the inside edges of the brief case construction which may be protected with single grip members without lower flange extensionsA It is also possible to provide stop members at the inside edges of the ilanges so as to prevent the walls of the brief case to be totally collapsed and to keep such Walls in expanded position.

rIhis, of course, may be :done by flexing the anges so as to fit over one another or alternatively to abut against one another, the former being for closure and collapse and the latter being for separation between the Walls of the brief case construction.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination yand arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a brief case structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse fragmentary vsectional view taken upon the line 2 2 of FIG. 1.

FlG. 3 is a transverse sectional view at 90 contact shown in FlG. 2 =to illustrate the |bowed attachment of the foot to the bottom edge of the brief case wall.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of one of the foot constructions removed from the brief case of FIG. l showing its form and shape.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing how the foot elements may be nested together when it is desirable to collapse the side walls of the empty brief case.

FIG. 6 shows an alternative structure in which the flange foot member has been omitted from the inside wall section so that the inside lower edge of the walls or partitions may be held in collapsed position upon the dished portion of the flange of the foot.

FiG. 7 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view similar to FlGS. 5 and 6 showing how an abutment may be used to prevent collapse of the side walls of the brief case.

FlG. S is a transverse sectional view similar to FIGS. 5 to 7 but showing an alternative form of latching the two feet constructions together.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view similar to FIG. 4 showing an alternative form of foot construction with teeth being used as engaging members instead of rivets or screws.

Referring to FlG. l, there is shown a brief case A having a swinging handled member B, a hinged member at C upon the telescoping inverted U-shaped frame structure D.

The U-shaped frame structure D is pivotally connected together and is normally maintained in closed position by the closure flap F having a male latching member G and the base female locking member H.

The brief case as shown has the outside front Wall l, the back Wall and the intermediate partitions M and N.

Between the outer edges of the walls l, K, M and N are outside gussets P and Q and the middle gusset R.

There are also provided the bottom gussets S and T and the bottom gusset U which may be extended by means of the extension ap V.

The present invention is particularly directed to the support feet alternative forms of which are indicated at W in FIGS. l to 4, X in FIG. 7, Y in FIG. 8 and Z in FIG. 9.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 to 4, the foot or base structure members have the upright outside and inside flanges lli and il which may have top curved 3 edges 12 and 13 with the matching rivet holes 1d and 15 in the outside and inside anges respectively.

These rivet holes are designed to receive the rivets 16 best shown inY FIG. 2.

The side edges are vertical of the flanges as indicated at 17.

At the bottom edges of the anges 1t? and 11 bend lines 13 and 19 where the flanges 1t? and with the horizontal leg members 2@ and 21.

These leg members are folded together as indicated at Z2 and have a slight separation at 23 as they approach the anges 10 and 11 to give some resiliency which resiliency increases in the direction of the arrow 2li.

rlhe top and bottom horizontal members 24? and 21 of the structure W are provided with a recess or groove 25 formed between the upturned outer edge or ridge 26 and the elevated portion or ridges Z7 and 23 (see FIG. 4).

The shaping of the clip in this manner makes it relatively sti at the outer edge 22 while permitting it to be fairly resilient at the separated position 23 adjacent to the upwardly convex portions 27 and 28.

The recess or groove 25 may serve for latching purposes whereas the edge ridge 26 may serve for abutment purposes depending upon whether the brief case is to be maintained in collapsed or extended position.

By relatively Vbowing the adjacent wall and partition K and N at the back of the brief case and M and J at the front of the brief case, it is possible to relatively cause the edges 22 to abut and keep the walls separated or to cause the flange portions 2b and 21 to latch over one another as indicated in FIG. 5.

Where the members are of the same length as shown in FIG. 5, the end 22 of the outside member will terminate short of the end 22 of the inside member, but if desired, the outside support element W may have longer flanges so that they will terminate both at the same edge position when latched together as in FIG. 8, and the recesses or grooves 25 may be shown shaped in position that they will exactly nest together instead of nesting in offset position as indicated in FIG. 5.

It will be noted that the anges or horizontal members 2E) and 21 are bowed as indicated in FIG. 3 with the central portions of the horizontal members 2t) and 21 being bowed away as indicated at 29 from the lower edge 3d of the brief case wall K.

As a result, the only contact will be at the edges 31.

This enhances the resiliency and also distributes the stress upon the lower edges 3@ of the wall K of the brief case structure A.

In the alternative form of the invention as shown in FIG. 9, there is shown an outside wall 45, and inside wall 46 having inturned attachment teeth 47.

These attachment teeth 47 Will extend through the lower edges 3%) of the brief case and will hold the unit Zin position.

In this form of the invention, there are provided two downwardly extending dimples in lieu of the buige 29 of FIG. 3 to elevate the base 49 off the pavement.

The forwardly extending horizontal flanges Sti and 51 join at the told edge 52 and may be of the same shape and form as the ilanges 2b and 21 of FIGS. 3 and 4.

ri`he lower portion 6) of the wall K and the lo-wer portion 51 of the gusset T are stitched together at 62 and 63 on each side of the metal reinforcement 64.

The inside strip 65 will also act as a reinforcement, .and will be stitched in position by the stitching 62 and 63.

The rivet 16 will then hold the lower edges together, and it may be amplified by stitching between the attachment of the feet W.

The function of the rivet is performed by the teeth 47 in the form shown in FIG. 9.

With the partition N, a similar construction is utilized with the stitching 66 holding together the lower portion and 13 are the 11 join 67 of the partition N together with lower portions of the walls 68 and 69 of the bottom gussets T and U.

The rivet 16 will then extend slowly through two layers of material as indicated in FIG. 2 stitching the lower edges of the gussets T and S.

In case of the partition M, the stitching 70 will extend through the lower portions 71 of the partition M as Well as the Vdouble ply '72 at the bottom of the extension member V.

Here again, the rivets 16 will only extend through two plies of material at the lower edges of the sides of the gussets S and U.

The stitching attachment of the front wall J is the same as the rear wall K, and it is indicated by the same numerals.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the elements X have upturned outer edges as indicated at with an abutment taking place at 86 if desired.

The lower edges S7 and 8S respectively and outside partition walls will be grasped between the vertical anges S9 by rivets, such as the rivets 16, and the horizontal flange portions 9) and 91 may be ridged and bowed as indicated in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4 with their outer ends upturned as indicated at 85.

Alternatively, the upturned inside edges 85 and the horizontal llange portions 90 and 91 might be nested together as indicated in FIG. 5; Where nesting is also to be achieved, the construction of FIG. 8 is preferably employed.

In this construction, the upper foot member Y with its upturned abutment edge 10) and its horizontal flanges 161 and 192 is made shorter than the horizontal portion formed by the ilanges 193 and 104 of the lower Contact member Y.

In this construction therefore the upturned edge lili) will nest inside of the upturned edge 165 as indicated in FIG. 8.

The vertical flanges 106 and 167 will serve, to grip the lower edges 1% and 109 of the wall and partition of the brief case.

In the construction of FIG. 6, there is shown an alternative structure in which only the outer wall edge is provided with the horizontal flange structure 121 with the clamping vertical anges 122.

The inside partition wall 123 has a metal clip member 124 without a horizontal extension which will engage in the recesses 125.

The inturned double hanged members also tend to protect the back and hold the walls in position in case of heavy loading and then to prevent excessive bowing of the outside walls, partitions and gussets.

They also act as stabilizing elements to hold the brief case vertical when placed upon the floor or pavement and tend to prevent upsetting theerof or tipping or tilting thereof onto its side.

The inturned horizontal ilanges because of their bowed and rigged construction will also increase the tloor or pavement contact area surface, and being located at the side edges directly under both the front and back wall and also desirably under the end of the iioor and back partition will give an independent support for the load in each separated pocket of the brief case and will Atend to overcome the effects of uneven loading of the brief case interior.

The bowing as well as the separation between the horizontal ilange elements W which are indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4 will give a resiliency to the support which will prevent any rupturing or tearing stress being transmitted to the stitched connections between the partitions, the walls and the gussets.

It is thus apparent that the applicant has provided a series of readiiy attached attractive door Vor pavement contact elements or support elements which will protect the lower edge of the brief case walls and partitions and prevent undue wear and abrasion.

The members may be latched together upon collapse of the brief case by suitable bowing the partion Walls M and N and the front and back outside Walls I and K or the horizontal flange portions may be caused to abut each other at the edges 22 or the upturned portions 85 to maintain an extended structure when the partitions M and N and outside walls l and K are pressed together.

The rivet 16 and the teeth 47 may be used in addition to stitching or in combination with stitching to hold the lower edges of the walls J and K, partitions M and N and gussets S, T and U together.

As many changes could be made in the above brief case construction, and many widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

l. A brief case construction of the type having side, front and back walls and internal partitions with side and bottom gussets, means to support and protect the bottom edges of said walls, including aligned pairs of flanged foot constructions having spaced parallel vertical flanges to grasp the lower edges of the walls and inturned integral flange horizontal members to extend inwardly under the bottom of the brief case and form a protection and support for the brief ease, said inturned ilange members being transverse to the vertical anges and extending inwardly from the front and back walls so as to form a transversely extending horizontal structure upon which the bag will rest preventing destruction of the lower edges of the front and back walls and of the partitions in said gussets.

2. A brief case construction of the type having side, front and back walls and internal partitions with side and bottom gussets, means to support and protect the bottom edges of said walls, including aligned pairs of flanged foot constructions having spaced parallel vertical anges to grasp the lower edges of the walls and inturned integral ilange horizontal members to extend inwardly under the bottom of the brief case and form a protection and support for the brief case, said constructions being positioned at the outside ends of the lower edge portions of both the walls and the partitions, said inturned ange members being transverse to the vertical flanges and extending inwardly from the front and back walls so as to form a transversely extending horizontal structure upon which the bag will rest preventing destruction of the lower edges of the front and back walls and of the partitions in said gussets.

3. A brief case construction of the type having side, front and back walls and internal partitions with side and bottom gussets, means to support and protect the bottom edges of said walls, including aligned pairs of anged foot constructions having spaced parallel vertical flanges to grasp the lower edges of the walls and inturned integral ange horizontal members to extend inwardly under the bottom of the brief case and form a protection and support for the brief case, said foot constructions having upturned inside edge portions, said inturned flange members being transverse to the vertical flanges and extending inwardly from the front and back walls so as to form a transversely extending horizontal structure upon which the bag will rest preventing destruction of the lower edges of the front and back walls and of the partitions in said gussets.

4. In a brief case construction of the type having vertical parallel, front and back walls and internal partitions between the walls, means to support and protect the bottom edges of said walls, including spaced aligned pairs of flanged foot constructions having vertical :flanges to grasp the lower edges of the walls and horizontal leg members to extend inwardly and form a bottom edge protection and support for the brief case, said foot construction consisting of integrally bent and shaped right angular metal elements having spaced vertical flanges separated and clamped onto the lower edges of the walls and having their horizontal members in close contact with each other at the outer edges and bowed downwardly as oor contact members, said inturned flange members being transverse to the vertical anges and extending inwardly from the front and back walls so as to form a transversely extending horizontal structure upon which the bag will rest preventing destruction of the lower edges of the front and back walls and of the partitions in said gussets.

5. A brief case having front and back walls and an upper opening and side and bottom gussets and internal partitions parallel to the front and back walls and spaced therebetween, said walls and partitions having side and bottom edges to receive said edges and right angular metal clip members forming lower supporting shoes and attached to the bottom edges of said walls and having separated vertical ange portions to grasp the lower bottom edges of the front and back walls, said members having inturned horizontally extending anges.

6. 'Ihe brief case of claim 5, said flanges being designed to overlay one another when the brief case is collapsed.

7. The brief case of claim 5, said horizontal anges being recessed or grooved in the direction of the plane of the partitions so that the recesses or grooves will intert into one another.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,029,091 Bern Ian. 28, 1936 2,474,003 Lifton .lune 2l, 1949 2,524,647 Baldwin Oct. 3, 1950 

1. A BRIEF CASE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TYPE HAVING SIDE, FRONT AND BACK WALLS AND INTERNAL PARTITIONS WITH SIDE AND BOTTOM GUSSETS, MEANS TO SUPPORT AND PROTECT THE BOTTOM EDGES OF SAID WALLS, INCLUDING ALIGNED PAIRS OF FLANGED FOOT CONSTRUCTIONS HAVING SPACED PARALLEL VERTICAL FLANGES TO GRASP THE LOWER EDGES OF THE WALLS AND INTURNED INTEGRAL FLANGE HORIZONTAL MEMBERS TO EXTEND INWARDLY UNDER THE BOTTOM OF THE BRIEF CASE AND FORM A PROTECTION AND SUPPORT FOR THE BRIEF CASE, SAID INTURNED FLANGE MEMBERS BEING TRANSVERSE TO THE VERTICAL FLANGES AND EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE FRONT AND BACK WALLS SO AS TO FORM A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING HORIZONTAL STRUCTURE UPON WHICH THE BAG WILL REST PREVENTING DESTRUCTION OF THE LOWER EDGES OF THE FRONT AND BACK WALLS AND OF THE PARTITIONS IN SAID GUSSETS. 